Dirty Faced Soliders
by HaleMcCkenna22
Summary: "Oliver joins the Marines at seventeen." Told from Tommy's profile features PTSD


Oliver joins the Marines at seventeen. The queen family is horrified with Robert Queens's sudden death it feels that they are losing both a father and son.

Oliver can't be discouraged though he leaves for a hot base in Florida the summer before Tommy starts college. In the winter of that year while Tommy is worried about failing him midterms Oliver sends him a letter that he's to be deployed to Afghanistan.

The Queens have a going away party because the Queens can make a party out of anything. Oliver sits beside him with to hair short, and sudden muscles that cause him almost burst out of his suit. His father, and Mora stand in a corner no doubt scheming a way to get Oliver out of this. Thea is attached to Oliver hip even though she is getting a little too old to be carried. Laurel Lance Oliver's ex-girlfriend shows up with her parents, and Tommy instantly likes her for this considering the messy brake up her and Oliver had.

When the party wines down Oliver asked him to take a walk with him. They walk to edge of the Queen property passing Robert Queens gave. Oliver stopped walking suddenly turning to face him his face serious.

"I listed you as my emergency contact Tommy," Oliver says, "if the worst were to happen I don't need some Navy guys telling Mom and Thea."

Tommy started at his best friend. With all the horrible scenarios playing out in his head about Oliver going to war none of them includes him not coming back. Tommy felt himself shutter at the thought. Oliver is so level headed and straight forward that it's almost disturbing.

"Anything you need Oliver," Tommy says embarrassed when his voice shakes slightly.

Oliver sends him short curt letters about how hot Afghanistan is, but they don't communicate much more. Tommy and Laurel take the same class in the spring a pre-law class that he would have failed without her help.

Tommy spends Christmas with the Queens since his father is in D.C. (most likely trying to bribe some congressmen to send Oliver home for the holiday.) It's a quite holiday minus Oliver. Mora invites the Queen's new C.E.O. Walter to join them. Thea tells him latter she thinks they may be dating. Tommy likes Walter he is a quite respectful, and surprisingly funny.

Thea is overjoyed to see him, she practically leaps into his arms, and he feels guilty for not visiting her more. She comes to visit him at college around New Year, and guilt lessens some.

Oliver's tour of duty ends after a year. He asks Tommy to pick him up from the airport. Tommy doesn't recognize him at first he's never seen Oliver in uniform before it's strange. Oliver approaches him his duffle slung over his shoulder. He keeps his arms stiff at his side as though not shore what to do with them. This short of brakes Tommy heart so he just throws his arms around Oliver's hard middle. Oliver arms hang at his side for a moment than his returns the hug.

Oliver is uncharacteristically quite, but Tommy thinks it must a shock being back. He hugs Thea and his mother then excuses himself to his room.

The Queens throws another party to celebrate Oliver's return. Oliver is stiff as though he is out of practice with dealing with people who aren't shooting at him. Someone asks Oliver how much longer he has in the military.

"I just reenlisted for six more years," Oliver answers bluntly.

It's as though the air has been sucked from the room. Mora drops her glass her face ashy white. Tommy can see tears in Thea's eyes. Laurel who had just arrived hugged Thea.

"Don't you think that is a little excessive Oliver?" Walter asks putting his arm around Mora.

Oliver narrowed his eyes, and Tommy can see that Thea has told him that they're dating.

"I hope not since I'm going back."

"What do you mean 'going back'?" Mora said she's shaking.

Oliver sighs he looks tired.

"I was going to tell you alone, but yeah theirs a unit leaving out of Georgia they'll let me tag along."

Their is crying and screaming, but in the end Oliver is nineteen year old adult who can make his own decisions. This time he gives Tommy three letter for Thea, Mora, and Tommy, and tells him not to open them until something happened. Tommy notices he didn't say if.

The men in uniforms show up outside his economics' class, and Tommy's world spins when words like _missing in action prisoner of war_ are used. Oliver is missing and some of his units are dead. Tommy holds Thea while she sobs on his shoulder, and Mora brocades herself in her room with only Walter for comfort.

When his father shows up with food at Queen manor Tommy is surprised to him because his father doesn't have the best track record of _being there_. Malcolm stared at his son with his a five o'clock shadow and messy hair, and father and son embrace for the first time since Tommy was eight year old.

Oliver is found alive six months latter, and Tommy thinks it's a miracle, and then he sees Oliver. Tommy's stomach churns when Mora tells him about the scars from the _torture_.

Oliver isn't the Oliver he knew. The Oliver he knew didn't have these dead eyes. That Oliver never on attacked his _mother _when she tried to wake him from a bad dream. The Oliver he knew wouldn't disappear for hours and sometimes _days_ without telling anyone where he is going. This Oliver is violent, distant, and above all _damaged_.

Tommy's last semester before his graduates is torture. He calls the Queen house every day, but mostly speaks to the housekeeper because no one in the family ever seems to be home. Laurel occasionally mentions she speaks to Thea, but Tommy knows her main priority is law school right now.

Right when Tommy was going to take the train up to Starling city Oliver appears outside his apartment. They go out to eat at the greasy spoon. Oliver asks to be seated at the back booth, and Tommy has the feeling he checks all the exits for any threats before they sit down. Oliver eats fast to fast something that Tommy can only assume has been drilled into him.

"Your dad came to see me," Oliver said suddenly.

"Yeah?" Tommy said frowning.

He didn't like the idea his father visiting his vulnerable friend. Malcolm Merlyn always had motives.

Oliver nodded not meeting his eye.

"He wanted to see if I was ok," he says softly, "I was discharged."

Tommy is shocked, and angry at himself '_why didn't he know this?'_

"I'm sorry Oliver," Tommy said.

Oliver made a sort of strangled noise in the back of his throat.

"What am I going to do Tommy? My dad wanted me to be a better man then him, and I failed him," Oliver said his hands were in a tight white fist.

Tommy felt his heat brake, as he looked his best friend in the whole world. Oliver is the strongest person he knows, and now he looks so lost. Tommy feels like he should hug him, but knows Oliver wouldn't allow that.

"Your dad would have been so proud of you Oliver," Tommy says, "You're a hero Oliver."

Oliver's head snaps up, and his words make his eyes darken.

"No Tommy I'm not you don't know what happened."

Tommy leaned forward his curiosity peeked. They had never gotten the full story on what happened with Oliver. The men in uniforms had used words like _classified_ when they had demanded information. Even Malcolm Merlyn with all his contacts hadn't been able to get any information.

"We were suppose to extract another POW, but it went wrong right away," Oliver said shaking his head as though to get rid of the memory, "Their were to many fighters we weren't prepared the two guy's on my right got hit right away. I didn't even realize we were surrounded until it was to late. They grabbed me-" he stopped suddenly starting off into the unknown.

"You don't have to Oliver-" Tommy said.

"_I told them things Tommy_," Oliver said in an anguished voice.

"They took you Oliver you didn't have a choice," Tommy said forcefully, "Your Robert Queens son you don't have to prove anything to anyone."

"Can we just go back to your apartment Tommy?" Oliver asked.

Overtime Tommy saw drastic changes in his best friend. He met a girl name Helena who seemed to understand Oliver instantly. The whole Queen family seemed happier Mora and Walter were talking marriage. Thea had her first little boyfriend witch nearly gave Tommy a heat attack because Thea was still six in his mind.

Oliver introduced him to a friend John Diggle one evening at one of the Queen' s many parties.

"How do you know Oliver," Tommy asked him.

"He saved my life once," Diggle said matter of factly.

It turns out John Diggle had been in Oliver's unit. When they were ambushed Oliver had sacrificed himself for Diggle getting himself taken prisoner Tommy is amazed by his best friend.


End file.
